By: Obed Pineda
One night, after eating supper, two siblings went outside to enjoy the bright stars twinkling on the backdrop of the obsidian sky. The younger sibling sighed heavily, relishing the peaceful moment the beautiful, quiet night was offering them, since the week had been a tumultuous one barraged by one misfortune after another all happening in rapid succession. Thus, having a moment of pause in the midst of a turbulent time in his life (accompanied by his cherished older sister) felt like an embrace from heaven comforting him. Noticing the heaviness of his contemplative sigh, his sister queried as to the source of his woes. With his eyes firmly fixed on the starry night, he replied, “What is the purpose for trials and suffering in this world? Why does it always seem that when problems appear, they ambush you all at once? I’m telling you sis, whoever said, ‘when it rains, it pours,’ they was not lying.” The sister, carefully listening to her baby brother vent, with a gentle and warm smile spoke, “You see little brother, that is exactly why trials and tribulations are necessary in this world; so you can prove that indeed, when it rains, it pours.” It is true that when this idiom is expressed it is commonly used to refer to either how several unfortunate circumstances simultaneously occur, or when a situation quickly goes from bad to worse. Yet, the company that made this phrase famous did not intend for their slogan to speak about an occurrence of a series of problems. Around 1911, the Morton Salt Company brought to life their now iconic Morton Salt Girl along with the slogan, “when it rains it pours.” Portrayed on the front of the cylindrical canister is a girl wearing a yellow dress with an umbrella in one hand, and a canister of Morton Salt in the other, walking in the rain while salt pours out of the spout of the can. Prior to 1911, using salt to season food could be very difficult to do because it would clump together whenever it would rain or if the humidity was high. When “sticky salt” was found in the kitchen, it needed to literally be chiseled in order to use, until Morton Salt conceived their product: free flowing salt that would not clump, even on a rainy day. Ergo, the slogan, “when it rains, it pours,” was a promise to Morton’s consumers that their salt would still flow freely from the canister even if it rained outside. Without a doubt, the only way customers could know if the advertisement was true or not was by purchasing it and testing the product out. In other words, they needed a rainy day to verify if the promise from Morton Salt was real or not. God, too, has promised to all those who follow Him that “whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith” (1st John 5:4). It is imperative to realize, however, that the beloved apostle’s inspired words reveal that at times true faith will find itself placed in adversarial conditions. Yet, the promise made from heaven is that faith will always prevail in the face of adversity; faith born of God will never “clump up.” John rhetorically inquires, “Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God” (1st John 5:5)? The truth of God’s promise concerning His faith is most illuminable during trying times in a person’s life (cf. James 1:2-4, 1st Peter 1:6-9). John, undeniably, had fresh in his memory that fateful night the Master was arrested (cf. John 18:1-13). John had never forgotten the Savior’s lessons from the upper room, particularly His promise, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). After pleading with the Lord thrice about removing the “thorn” in his flesh, Paul was answered, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (2nd Corinthians 12:7-9). Heeding the Redeemer’s instruction, Paul graciously accepted His answer because he comprehended that “when I am weak, then I am strong” (2nd Corinthians 12:10b). Like our anecdote at the beginning of this treatise alludes to, our faith will continue to flow even when the storms of life are falling heavily upon us. Furthermore, our faith not only braces us to endure life’s trials, it increases with every challenge that one meets. The apostle Paul understood this truth very well, since he had endured great persecution for the Gospel’s sake (cf. Acts 9:15-16, 2nd Corinthians 6:3-10). Acknowledging the immense suffering Paul willingly underwent as an apostle and how mightily his faith developed in Christ, adds weight to his recommendation as to how our faith is instrumental in our spiritual warfare. The inspired Paul advises that during our trying times we must hold up and stand behind “the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one” (Ephesians 6:16). Paul spoke from experience; not supposition. Thus, Paul is affirming that the faith from above is thoroughly battle tested and has triumphantly survived every attack the adversary has launched against it (cf. Ephesians 6:11-12, Hebrews 11:1ff). It is also the reason that prompts Peter to exhort us in “casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world” (1st Peter 5:7-9, cf. James 4:7-8). It is indisputable that prayer and faith are intimately interwoven with one another (cf. Luke 18:1-8, James 1:5-7). Peter reminds the faithful saints that praying during times of sorrow and woe prayer combined with faith is like the salt that is promised to flow even on rainy days; it works. The primary reason praying with faith works is because of Whom we are praying to (cf. Genesis 15:1, Psalm 91:1-6). The inspired amanuensis of the book of Proverbs chimes in to the apostles’ guarantee about faith, “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe” (Proverbs 18:10). It is wise to understand that faith will not solve the problem the Christian has encountered, nor will it eliminate it. Rather the guarantee of God’s promises will fortify our inward man with courage to withstand antagonistic circumstances, because “the LORD, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed” (Deuteronomy 31:8, cf. 2nd Corinthians 4:16-18). However, we must accept the rain if we are to prove that faith will pour in the blessings from heaven through it all (cf. James 5:10-11).